Little G

It's been a summer full of parks. Little G LOVES the swings. Here are a few cute shots that his Mommy took. His shirt Say's "Mommy's Super Hero"
I think that says it all!

Summer Camps

SO far the summer is off to a fun start. Spending days at the park and pool. Or with friends. Miss M and Miss A have enjoyed their summer camps. And sometimes are days are spent inside, watching a movie,playing board games or having a candle light picnic (because the power has gone out) while listening to huge thunder storms raging out side. One night we even had a double rainbow in our back yard!

Here are some pictures of our Farm Field Trip and Bible Camp. (WE HEART BIBLE CAMP!!)

Making butterfly pizza's at Ms. Nancy's preschool/camp week

They were so excited to see the farm animals right up close

the kids being welcomed by the chickens and geese

J enjoying the geese at the farm

Miss A and her Cute friend walking in the fields at the farm


Bible Camp Carnival

I Spy You

Face painting - or arm painting

Fun way to end our High Seas week!

Our Double Rainbow

Time Flys

Has it really been since March 8 when I last updated my blog? WOW. Guess that's what happens when your computer crashes and you can not access your pictures. I did have them all backed up - but if there is no computer, that external hard drive just doesn't work so well.

We've all been cRaZy busy!

but we did take a little break to travel to Hawaii for a QUICK and I mean QUICK get-a-way!

(miss A and Little G at our ward Luau)

Jes and K still going to school AND they have just started summer school as Miss A, Miss M and I wrap up our school year.

K is still working at the Hospital, and we have enjoyed visiting him a couple of times as we have had a few emergency's. The staff is all so friendly and have told the girls that you don't need to get "sick" to come and visit Daddy at work. He does get a little down time - stills enjoy entertaining Hawaiian style especially with his SWEET new UKULELE! And he couldn't be prouder when his little girls get up on stage and sway those Hula hips. It's wonderful to see them embracing the Hawaiian culture!

(K enjoying a refreshing pineapple soda at Tiki's in down town Waikiki)

(miss M did a report on Giant clams for school so it was fun to see an actual GIANT Clam! thanks little G for posing for us!)

(celebrated Miss M's 6 b-day in Hawaii at Farrels)

Jes is looking for a job and Little G is enjoying keeping up with his big cousins. He has 3 teeth and should be walking any day now! He also got his FIRST haircut. Uncle buzzed his head.

(Little G and Uncle K catching a wave!)

Miss M has officially graduated from Kindergarten! Her school put on a CUTE graduation. She is so excited for first grade. Is looking forward to camp library reading club, vacation bible camp, piano lessons and her FIRST recital and kicking back this summer.

(Miss M - enjoying her birthday at the BEACH!)

(Happy Graduation Miss M!!)

Miss A loves going to pre-school and I still enjoy being her teacher. Miss A is POTTY TRAINED!!! NO MORE DIAPERS HOORAY! (not that we are excited or anything.)

(Hanging loose in Hawaii)

(sweet sisters)

I am still keeping busy with my church calling in the stake primary, selling Stampin' up, pre-school teacher assistant - I still pick up some of the kids in the "big-blue-bus", and watching kids during the week including my nephew and my own two girls, making cards and catching up on tv shows GLEE, 24 and Vampire Diaries. I am hoping for some major DOWN time this summer!!! Visiting my dear friend in Utah, a GIRLS weekend Get-a-way with some BFF's! And seeing Eclipse with my sis and BFF in Naperville. (just thought I'd give you an idea of what we will be doing in case it's months before you hear from me again!)

(in Miss M's class room for the graduation party)


H A P P Y S U M M E R!!!!!!!

Hip - hip HOORAY!

Just a quick post to let you know that Keenan graduated from his BNAT (CNA) course at Oakton college tonight. He was also the student speaker. I/we are SO SO proud of Keenan and the new path he is on. His instructors that I met tonight just gushed with wonderful things about Keenan and what a great field of work Nursing will be for him. Now, he just has a couple of weeks to enjoy no school before he starts up again in the fall. 2 semesters of pre-req's and then nursing school. Congratulations Keenan we are so proud of you.

I will post pictures soon - we are still house sitting and I didn't bring along my camera cord to down load my pictures.

hope you are all enjoying the summer. I hope to make it to the beach at least once. Now that Miss M is done with camp (last day today - so sad) we might have more time to head over to
the great Lake Michigan.

We Love T-Ball

Miss A is always on the move during Miss M's games. We captured some of her cute moves.

She loves to go go go!

Jesica took these great actions shots of Miss M. This turned out to be her last game because Thursday got rained out. I am glad we got some good action shots. Sure will miss our
evenings at the baseball field. I am so glad that Miss M was able to enjoy summer camp and t-ball this year.

Our walk home after the game. Miss M thought it would be cute to take some shots of Miss A's puppy using the fire hydrant.

More 4th of July FUN!

Here are pictures from the Parade/Goodbye Horstmann/BBQ

1. and 2. Khania made a picture collage of our memories of the Horstmann's
these 2 pics are Rachael and Matt reading it.
3. Khania's YUMMY YUMMY strawberry shortcake - I know she makes
it JUST FOR ME!!!
4. Watching the parade in front of the Lund's.

1. Miss M
2. Christopher
3. Miss Katelyn (Miss A's BFF!)
4. The kids watching the parade
5. Getting some of the treats/fans/beads/popcorn they hand out
6. A Rockin' Christian Band
7. Miss A wanting to get out of the stroller
8. Miss M waving her flags
9. Baseball float

1. The boys watching the baseball float
2. I Love this picture of K and Evelyn
3. MATER!*
4. GO OLYMPICS Chicago 2016!!
5. Red - the fire truck*
6. Khania and Gold Elvis
7. K and Miss M with Tippin' Tractor*
8. Weird guys dressed in bright orange bra's - how could I NOT take a picture!
9. The BIG Marching band (that had NO flutes!?!)

(*we took pictures of all the cars that looked like characters from the movie CARS)

Are you Keeping up??

I know - more posts. But I FINALLY feel like posting and I have lots to catch up on : )
Remember how this summer with the girls I watch we were doing different themes before they left for Alaska? - I'll put links on the bottom so you can go back and review if you would like...

SO our LAST week was ART week. We went to the library the first day - Miss M had her All by my self class so the girls and I checked out books for them to read then went to lunch (not so artsy) . Day two we did manicures/pedicures ( that's artsy right?!) and then our last class I brought over canvasses and we painted the morning away. Even their older sister joined in. I wish I would have had more canvasses - it was fun!


1. Miss M's water color with hand prints
2. Hannah's sun set picture
3. Lauren's painting
4. My painting
5. Mine again
6. Natalie's hand print
7. Natalie's painting
8. More of Miss M's
9. Miss M's American hand print (she wanted it red, white and blue)



*Cooking week
Class one
Class two
Class three

*Photo Week
click Here

FUN Idea!

click HERE to go to the Family Fun web site

(for instructions on how to make it)

I can tell it's summer...

Not because it's beautiful weather
Not because the beach is calling me
Not because of the smell of sunscreen (my favorite smell - wish Scentsy would bottle that smell!)
Not because of the smell of the grills in the neighborhoods
Not because of the summer rain/thunderstorms - and the nasty mosquito's...
But this time of year, I love me a GOOD country music mix!!
I am not sure why it is my summer thing, but it is.
I love to listen to it when I am driving at sunset with the windows down.
I love to listen to it when I am star gazing at night laying on the "cool green grass"

VBS! June 16-20

Miss M's friend Elizabeth, invited us to attend
a Bible Vacation School at the preschool she had been attending.
(not associated with our church)

I am so glad we signed up for this. It was such a great time, Miss M
REALLY enjoyed herself. And we loved hearing all about
what Bible story and Fruit of the Spirit she was taught on our car ride
home each night.

The camp theme this year was Fruits of the Spirit.
Each day represented a Fruit Of The Spirit. (FOTS)

Monday - Sprout JOY
Tuesday - Produce Patience
Wednesday - Grow Love
Thursday - Plant Peace
Friday - Pick Kindness

Each evening started out with a family dinner - and they had some ONO food!
This was also fun because we got to sit with our other friends who came too
Alex and Sam.
Then the kids would head up stairs for assembly, where they would be taught
new songs, and talk about the F.O.T.S. of the evening. They were also doing a service project for children in Mexico for pre-screening/vaccinations. Each night accepting offerings - which we explained to Miss M was like tithing.
They had craft time and also sport time. Then would meet all together again for the closing songs and prayer.

The staff was so kind. Miss M made some great friends, and we even received a letter
in the mail inviting us back again.
( K and I discussed that this is what it must feel like to be fellow-shipped)

Friday ended with a big family BBQ and Carnival.
After we ate we headed upstairs for assembly - the Bible story they taught was on the Good Samaritan - it reminded me a lot of the Sharing time I had done in Primary.
Then we all headed outside for the Family Carnival - with games and pony rides!
(which reminded me of the Halloween Carnival I use to do for Primary - minus the pony rides)

As I talked about this with my friends - especially the ones I had just served with in the Primary Presidency (at our church) we all thought how great it would be
for our Primary to do a Vacation Bible School.
I have even thought about doing a Backyard Vacation Book of Mormon school
at my home...hmmm, there is time to still do that RIGHT?